Review: Park Hyatt Auckland, New Zealand

New Zealand is one of my favorite countries in the world, though sadly this time around I was only visiting for one night. On the plus side, I had the chance to check out the Park Hyatt Auckland, which only opened in mid-2020, after a significant delay. This is one of the points hotels I’ve most been wanting to check out.

The Park Hyatt Auckland is a fantastic hotel, and offers great value for money. It has a luxurious design, friendly service, solid amenities, excellent food & beverage outlets, and represents good value for money. While it’s no Park Hyatt Sydney, it’s also nice priced as such.

Booking the Park Hyatt Auckland

The Park Hyatt Auckland is a Category 5 World of Hyatt property, meaning that a standard room free night redemption costs 17,000-23,000 points. For what it’s worth, I value World of Hyatt points at 1.5 cents each.

However, I decided to pay cash for my stay, as it represented a better value. The rate was 437 NZD (~$259). Ford booked me through the Hyatt Privé program. Hyatt Privé rates cost the same as standard flexible rates (not member rates, advance purchase rates, AAA rates, etc.), and includes the following additional perks:

• Daily full breakfast for two in the hotel’s restaurant
• A $100 property credit per room per stay
• A one category room upgrade confirmed within 24 hours of booking (room-to-room or suite-to-suite) — based on availability at the time of booking
• Early check-in (as early as 9AM) and late check-out (as late as 4PM), subject to availability
• A welcome gift and letter

Admittedly some of these benefits overlap with my World of Hyatt Globalist perks, but getting an extra $100 credit was a nice extra perk. I would have probably spent that much on-property anyway, making this an even better value compared to redeeming points.

This is definitely one of the most reasonably priced Park Hyatts out there, at least as of now.

Park Hyatt Auckland location

The Park Hyatt Auckland is located right on the edge of the water, in Wynyard’s Quarter. There are tons of restaurants, bars, and shops, within walking distance, and I enjoyed walking around the area. I’m by no means an expert on Auckland, so I’m sure others will have more informed opinions on the area.

The Park Hyatt Auckland is a roughly 25-30 drive from Auckland Airport (AKL).

Park Hyatt Auckland lobby & check-in

While I love the design of the Park Hyatt Auckland, it doesn’t necessarily give me Park Hyatt vibes. Usually I think of Park Hyatts as being intimate and having understated and minimalist design, while this Park Hyatt feels quite “grand,” with 195 guest rooms and an atrium, and it’s also popping with color.

When you enter the lobby, there are two “U” shaped couches, and then an area where reception and the concierge desk are located.

The hotel has a resident dog from Blind Low Vision NZ — what a cool initiative!

The atrium spans all seven floors of the hotel — again, it’s not the typical Park Hyatt feel, but I have a soft spot for atriums going back to my…